Chapter 6
"Hey Sirius, where's..." his voice trailed off catching sight of the animagus he was about to ask about. Another party, naturally, but this one had a stage.
He was beside Lupin on a stage, the boy Sirius seemed so attached too, had a guitar in hand and was playing with almost expert precision. "Welcome little brother to what happens when you get just the right amount of liquor in James's little brother. He loses that filter that makes his words seem clean and precise, he gains something loose and fun."
His eyes were closed, head tilted ever so slightly in Lupin's direction as he played the guitar, seconds later he was taking that half step between him and the microphone, "There's a lot of people saying a lotta things," his voice was ever so calm, Lupin continued to play something quiet, not overdoing his words just background noise, "there's a lotta things going on, that we should be worried about," he took the microphone from the stand while accepting the glass James held out to him, "but if I know how to do one thing ladies and gentlemen, it's how to have a good time, so I'm gonna show you just that."
He stepped back holding the mic loosely while taking a sip from the glass, he nodded to Lupin who tapped something and the tune he had been playing went silent, a flick of his hand the music was back, one sound, one sharp strum of the strings, "If you're looking for trouble," another strum, "you came to the right place." another. "If you're looking for trouble, just look right in my face. I was born standin' up, and talking back. My daddy was a green eyed mountain jack, because I'm evil." He paused as if listening as the room was filled with yelling and singing, "My middle name is misery. Well I'm evil, so don't you mess around with me."
He paused tilting his head back, "I never looked for trouble, but I never ran. I don't take no orders, from no kind of man. I'm only made out of flesh, blood and bone. But if you're gonna start a rumble don't you try it all alone. Because I'm evil, my middle name is misery, well I'm evil, so don't you mess around with me."
"He can sing...?"
"Yes little brother, yes he can." The beat picked up quickly, Lupin's fingers moving without fault over the strings as the room got louder. The two on the stage seemed just as lost in the music as everyone in the room, his cheeks were ever so slightly flushed from the alcohol but it only seemed to make him less careful, movements loose and fluid on the stage. "This is his element, the music, the quick chaotic tempo, he lives for the unpredictability. It's the same way he fights."
Sirius seemed to leave the conversation there, watching the pair on the stage, and the ghosts that appeared with their instruments, Peeves. The ghost said something to Jem who grinned, "Give me somethin' Rem," the man rolled his eyes before changing the song mid strum, almost like it was natural and in joined in the band, "Alright, Rem has given us an original that I haven't finished," a chuckle went through the crowd as Lupin just shrugged with a smile, he took a deep breath shaking out his hands, "Mr.Doctor Man questions his hands, lost his mind but he's clinically fine. But he found a way to cope, needle in his throat, falling down but his world is spinning 'round and 'round, he knows."
"He wrote this?"
"Jem has plenty of free time." Sirius answered with a shrug.
"Up, down, but the world keeps spinning 'round and 'round I see this place ain't big enough for me. I want you to take me away-way-way, baby. Up, down, but the world keeps spinning 'round and 'round I see this place isn't big enough for me I want you to take me away-way-way what you want to say? Chemically, it's running through my veins, you see? A romance of the plastic scenes, I can't see you breathe. They're coming after me. Honestly, it's running through my veins, you see? I don't need their surgeries, I just want to be, they're coming after me." He took a drink from the glass waving his hand as Lupin nodded and picked up the pace. "This is where things get rocky." He muttered getting another few laughs.
"Have you heard this?"
"No, I think only Moony has." Sirius answered now paying attention.
"There's a little story I'd like to tell about this little boy who came from Hell. Sit right there and listen real good I'll tell you all the ways he's misunderstood. Well I see you standing there with that ol' wicked stare just stay for the show. Are you ready now, are you ready to go?" He rolled his shoulders eyes closing again, "Chemically, it's running through my veins, you see? A romance of the plastic scenes, I can't see you breathe. They're coming after me. Honestly, it's running through my veins, you see? I don't need their surgeries, I just want to be, they're coming after me. Mr.Doctor Man questions his hands, lost his mind, clinically fine. He's found a way to cope, needle in his throat. Falling down but his world is spinning 'round."
Lupin slowed the tempo the same time McGonagall and Slughorn walked into the common room, "I'm stuck in the boom boom room people are dancing after their operations. I want you to move. But nobody's moving after their medications. I can hear the room. People are dancing after their operations. I want you to move, but nobody's moving at all. Chemically, it's running through my veins, you see? A romance of the plastic scenes, I can't see you breathe. They're coming after me. Honestly, it's running through my veins, you see? I don't need their surgeries, I just want to be, they're coming after me." He paused taking a breath as Lupin kept playing, "Oh no, oh no, no, they're coming after me. Oh no, they're coming after me."
"What's in that cup Mr.Black?" Sirius and Regulus both turned to McGonagall as Sirius glanced at the red cup in his hand.
"What cup ma'am?"
"The cup in your hand."
As if a little stunned he tipped it over, pouring out the cheap beer on the floor, "Nothing. Everything is completely safe here. Just punch and soda."
"Yes that's what Mr.Potter is drinking, right?" They both looked to the golden liquid in the clear glass Jem had. Both nodding quickly.
"Oh go easy on them Minerva we did the same thing when we were their age. That Potter boy is quite the performer."
"-oh come with me, I'll show you how to live for free, nobody got a thing on me, done singing in the midnight street. Oh diamond deeds, a minimal variety I'm playing till' my fingers bleed I'll never lack the quality." He dipped his head and the beat got louder, "Well I get my kicks, take the money I'll get my fix. Well, I get my kicks. Now and forever, I get my fix." It calmed some when he repeated the motion, "I am the wild one, lightning in my veins, same again, lazy day, one man hit parade. Till' we're duller, black smoke in my eyes. Shattered glass, fallen first, leave me parallelized. Oh, come with me I'll show how to live for free, nobody got a thing on me, done singing in the midnight street." He jumped from the stage holding out a hand to Regulus with a grin, "Oh, come with me I'll show you how to live for free, nobody got a thing on me, done singing in the midnight street. Oh diamond deeds, a minimal variety, I'm playing till' my fingers bleed, I'll never lack the quality." He glared at Sirius when he nudged him forward stumbling into Jem's hold.
His voice dropped quiet enough the microphone wouldn't catch it as he offered Regulus a smile, "I've got you." He led him back through the crowd with ease, setting him down on the stage, so he was sitting on the edge, legs hanging off, Jem jumped up so he was sitting beside him as Lupin slowed the tempo some. Jem's voice taking a more story telling tone as he spoke up again, "She came to me in rows of white, in the corner of my room. A specter of the night, silhouetted by the moon. We're floating fast over traffic lights bearing down on blackened sky, colors burst as I close my eyes. Ooh-ooh, and she said; Lay me down in golden dandelions 'cause I've been waiting for this moment all my life. Follow me into the dark. Ooh-ooh, she said lay me down in golden dandelions, 'cause I've been waiting."
"A thousand pictures in my mind in a painting of the past. I'm brushing over lines and I'll paint them all again. We're floating fast over traffic lights bearing down on blackened skies, colors burst as I close my eyes. Ooh-ooh, and she said; Lay me down in golden dandelions 'cause I've been waiting for this moment all my life. Follow me into the dark. Ooh-ooh she said lay me down in golden dandelions 'cause I've been waiting. 'Cause I've been waiting and aren't we bright? In the candlelight, I will cradle all these memories, 'til the end and she said; Lay me down in golden dandelions 'cause I've been waiting for this moment all my life."
"Follow me into the dark. Ooh-ooh she said lay me down in golden dandelions 'cause I've been waiting. Yeah, I've been waiting, 'cause, I've been waiting." He set down the microphone as Lupin kept playing, "I really wanna kiss you."
"How much firewhiskey have you had?"
"Doesn't matter, still wanna kiss you."
"Jem?"
"Two glasses, but Bambi refuses to fill them all the way so really only one. Happ-" Acting on some kind of courage he normally wouldn't have he cut off the snarky younger Potter and kissed him, pulling him in with a fist full of the red silk button up, distantly he realized the crowd got louder, but the taste of firewhiskey, chocolate and something that was just Jem coating his own lips was easily distracting.
He inhaled the cologne that he noticed Jem always seemed to smell of, it was faint and sweet, with a hint of some kind of wood. That was about the time he snapped out of his stupor and kissed back, lips working against Regulus's with a kind of efficiency, he didn't know if he should be envious of or glad he was no longer leading.
A light bite to his bottom lip had a soft gasp at the moment of sharp pain and then Jem's tongue was in his mouth, mapping it out as the cold metal of the piercing grazed him here and there. When Jem pulled away he fell back with a breathless laugh. "I should've done that sooner."
"I'm not sure I would've let you." Regulus admitted watching the rise and fall of his chest. Catching sight of a gold half moon pendant, small but easy to see now attached from a thin gold chain laying at the hollow of his throat, the colors coming together surprisingly well and bringing out the gold flecks in Jem's eyes.
"Fair enough," he sat up with a huff, playing knocking into Regulus's shoulder. "You're something Black."
"I'll never be able to love you," Regulus whispered while watching the crowd dance. A lie, hell maybe that's what he felt when Jem walked into a room, even with Sirius it didn't seem to matter. But it was bad, and dangerous.
"More than money and cigarettes?"
"Every night with me will make your heartbreak."
He chuckled lightly guiding Regulus's face back to his, holding is with one hand, "Hey Reg, don't think about it."
"Right, just let it go?"
"It's all okay." He said before letting go of his face with a playful shrug. "I'm making a song about that by the way."
"What?" Regulus sat there a little stunned.
"Your line, every night with me will make your heartbreak. I've got lots of ideas." He said with a smile.
"How are you....after everything you're happy?"
"Some things are worth living for. Besides tonight my escape tomorrow is the meeting." They both glanced at the edge of Jem's dark mark showing from under the sleeve of his shirt.
"We're gonna make it out, right?" Jem didn't answer right away, "Together?" Regulus held out a hand, turning his palm up in offering to the other.
He smiled as a hand slipped into his, nails painted black and gold, rings decorating his fingers, "Together."